The Associated Press limits its use of the term 'alt-right' — here's why

A white supremacist with a shield containing National Socialist Movement symbols at a rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, on Saturday.Thomson Reuters

The
events in Charlottesville, Virginia, are an opportunity to take
another look at our terminology around "alt-right" and the way
that we describe the various racist, neo-Nazi, white nationalist,
and white supremacist groups out there.

At AP, we have taken the position that the term "alt-right"
should be avoided because it is meant as a euphemism to disguise
racist aims.

So use it only when quoting someone or when describing what the
movement says about itself. Enclose the term "alt-right" in
quotation marks or use phrasing such as the so-called alt-right
(no quote marks when using the term so-called) or the
self-described "alt-right."

Another recent area of confusion is the degree of overlap between
the terms "white nationalist" and "white supremacist." For many
people the terms can be used almost interchangeably. Both terms
describe groups that favor whites and support discrimination by
race. There is, however, a subtle difference, at least in the
views of the groups involved.

White nationalists say that white people are a distinct nation
deserving of protection, and therefore they demand special
political, legal, and territorial guarantees for whites.

White supremacists believe that whites are superior and therefore
should dominate other races.

Depending on the group and the context, AP writers are free to
determine which description most aptly applies to a group or an
individual in a particular situation.

Finally, a new term has emerged recently - an umbrella term for
the far-left-leaning militant groups that resist neo-Nazis and
white supremacists at demonstrations and other events. The
movement calls itself "antifa," short for anti-fascists, and
emulates historic anti-fascist actors in Europe. Until the term
becomes better known, use it in quotes at first and with a
definition included the copy.

Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images

For reference, here is the guidance on this topic from the 2017
edition of the AP Stylebook:

"alt-right":
A political grouping or tendency mixing racism, white nationalism
and populism; a name currently embraced by some white
supremacists and white nationalists to refer to themselves and
their ideology, which emphasizes preserving and protecting the
white race in the United States.

In AP stories discussing what the movement says about itself, the
term "alt-right"(quotation marks, hyphen and lowercase)
may be used in quotes or modified as in the self-described
"alt-right" or so-called alt-right. Avoid using the
term generically and without definition, however, because it is
not well-known and the term may exist primarily as a public
relations device to make its supporters' actual beliefs less
clear and more acceptable to a broader audience.

Depending on the specifics of the situation, such beliefs might
be termed racist, white supremacist or
neo-Nazi; be sure to describe the specifics. Whenever
"alt-right" is used in a story, include a definition:
an offshoot of conservatism mixing racism, white nationalism
and populism, or, more simply, a white nationalist
movement.

When writing on extreme groups, be precise and provide evidence
to support the characterization. Report their actions,
associations, history and positions to reveal their actual
beliefs and philosophy, as well as how others see them. Some
related definitions:

racism: The broad term for asserting racial or
ethnic discrimination or superiority based solely on race, ethnic
or religious origins; it can be by any group against any other
group.

white nationalism: A subset of racist beliefs
that calls for a separate territory and/or enhanced legal rights
and protections for white people. Critics accuse white
nationalists of being white supremacists in disguise.

white separatism: A term sometimes used as a
synonym for white nationalism but differs in that it
advocates a form of segregation in which races would live apart
but in the same general geographic area.

white supremacy: The racist belief that whites
are superior to justify political, economic and social
suppression of nonwhite people and other minority groups.

neo-Nazism: Combines racist and white
supremacist beliefs with admiration for an authoritarian,
totalitarian style of government such as the German Third Reich
to enforce its beliefs.